USDA "Organic"

[IslandGuy]

I found this article and thought everyone might enjoy. Some of my neighbors only buy "organic" at the store and won't eat my chicken's eggs.
Does anyone think the USDA is right? There is no comparison to this (IMO) crowded warehousing and my backyard flock.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/busi...J9W9NIqixeDc556FM4EmD-YH5WGERCTuRRs5GUe17VBko

 

[OhZark Biddies]

most folks don’t have a clue where their food comes from... myself included for anything we buy at the store...

sometimes though the disconnect people have is amazing ...

I heard someone a while back make a contradictory comment about a food item, that demonstrated that they truly didn’t associate the animal and the thing they were buying/eating as even being the same thing... I forget the exact statement... but I was kind of puzzled and shocked.... and this was a very intelligent person.

“Organic” has been nothing but a marketing term for a good 10+ years or more now

If I’m not mistaken you must pay a fee to have the word “organic” on your product ( if you sell over X amount of product)...

And many large scale “organic” growers have “organic” fields surrounded by fields they spray, and use chemical fertilizers on, etc

Certified “Free range” just means the birds have the option to go outside... nothing more...

these terms are all bought and paid for... its simple marketing not much more

These days my favorite gimmick is “gluten free” on things that never had gluten to begin with

“Grass fed” is another gimmick that folks have fallen for ... although I’ve started to notice an
adjustment to that one lately.

And then here recently someone told me they don’t use paper plates at picnics because of the rainforest... so I explained the pulpwood industry and pulpwood as a byproduct of lumber, etc. and they said “that sounds made up”


You’re fighting an uphill battle with your neighbors, just let them enjoy their bought and paid for food labels and keep doing your thing.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

We have a certified organic dairy farm. We have to fill out 100 pages of paperwork, pay $1500, have yearly inspection. If that appeals to you go for it. I would never do it for birds, it would never be worth it. Also you'd have to get rid of all of your current birds and order organic birds only to come to your place after the inspection of your property.

 

[Folly's place]

Actually, "Organic' is a difficult standard to meet, and it's not only that there's a fee for getting registered officially into the program.
It's totally true that most Americans think that food grows in Styrofoam at the store!!!
Most of use are surrounded by fields and lawns that are treated with amazing amounts of amazing products, on land we can't control or afford to own.
Look up the actual definitions of these various statements that show up on products at the store. It's very annoying, at best! Biddy forgot another good one, "Natural", which has no official meaning for foodstuffs at all.
There's so much 'fantasy information' out there on the internet, and understanding, and taking the time, to look up good information is necessary.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

I do admire anyone who does certify organic, and realize how hard it is!
Mary

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Natural... yep that’s a good one too!

I was just saying that the wilderness coons around here are probably better for you than a store bought chicken...

I’ve eaten both though... that chicken is a lot tastier

 

[Shadrach]

most folks don’t have a clue where their food comes from... myself included for anything we buy at the store...

sometimes though the disconnect people have is amazing ...

I heard someone a while back make a contradictory comment about a food item, that demonstrated that they truly didn’t associate the animal and the thing they were buying/eating as even being the same thing... I forget the exact statement... but I was kind of puzzled and shocked.... and this was a very intelligent person.

“Organic” has been nothing but a marketing term for a good 10+ years or more now

If I’m not mistaken you must pay a fee to have the word “organic” on your product ( if you sell over X amount of product)...

And many large scale “organic” growers have “organic” fields surrounded by fields they spray, and use chemical fertilizers on, etc

Certified “Free range” just means the birds have the option to go outside... nothing more...

these terms are all bought and paid for... its simple marketing not much more

These days my favorite gimmick is “gluten free” on things that never had gluten to begin with

“Grass fed” is another gimmick that folks have fallen for ... although I’ve started to notice an
adjustment to that one lately.

And then here recently someone told me they don’t use paper plates at picnics because of the rainforest... so I explained the pulpwood industry and pulpwood as a byproduct of lumber, etc. and they said “that sounds made up”


You’re fighting an uphill battle with your neighbors, just let them enjoy their bought and paid for food labels and keep doing your thing.

Here in the EU there is a web site somewhere that states the conditions to be met for the various organic labels on food.
There are also sites that will explain exactly what the various free range, grain fed, etc terms mean in reality. While most are some improvement on battery conditions its certainly not the picture of happy chickens skipping across open fields some of the advertising would have you believe.

 

[Folly's place]

So true!

 

[OhZark Biddies]

We have a certified organic dairy farm. We have to fill out 100 pages of paperwork, pay $1500, have yearly inspection. If that appeals to you go for it. I would never do it for birds, it would never be worth it. Also you'd have to get rid of all of your current birds and order organic birds only to come to your place after the inspection of your property.

I was thinking more about organic veggie produce... I don’t know anything about organic meat or milk...

But I kinda think it speaks to my point that people have bought into the idea that the label must say “organic” ... so an organic meat and milk industry was born...

I’m in no way meaning to disparage your operation or suggest you yourself are doing anything shifty... it’s just a market created and driven by marketing.

 

[Folly's place]

I do think that 'certified organic' is a good thing, worth it to me as a consumer, for many products, although not everything. And I have read the regs for it for many products in the USA.
'Coming close' is also good, and maybe more practical for most of us.
Mary